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Show I I COMYIEIEIIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 63 I I brought about conditions so detrimental to the Indians' welfare and so 1 demoralizing to the community in general as to call for immediate and I serious consideration. To the average land speculator the Indian iI seems to be considered common prey, and there has been disclosed through the reports of special agents designated to make investiga-tions, the existence of .cliques and combinations of schemers in the vicinity of nearly every agency where large quantities of lands are being sold, who, by various means fleece the Indian of the last penny within a few hours after the agent has turned over to him the proceeds of a sale. Upon receipt of advice of the approval of a deed members of some combination approach the Indian who is to receive the money and engage him in all manner of contracts whereby the money coming to him from the sale of his land is transferred to the pockets of the com-bination. In one specific case related by Special Agent McNichols in his report of the 21st of July, which was transmitted to the Depart-ment August 1, all the Indian finally received was a broken-down horse and carriage and a few chips and stones. So small a portion of the proceeds from the sale of inherited lands is used by the Indians in improving their own allotments thit the benefit8 thus derived are hardly entitled to consideration. The Office has no detailed report of these expenditures for improvements except with respect to the Omaha Indians in Nebraska. During the past three years improvements to Omaha allotments have been made in 57 separate cases at a cost estimated at $44,400. The Omahas are one of the most progressive tribes, yet it is shown that out of a total of approximately $147,150 received by the Omahas from the sale of inherited lands and the large sums received on leased Omaha lands, estimatedat $72,000 in three years, less than 20 per cent was expended in improvements. This showing is probably far ahead of any that can be made by any other tribe. It is doubted if the Yankton Sioux in South Dakota can show improvements of one-fourth this value, though they have received from the sale of inherited lands from March 4, 1903, to June 30, 1904, a period of sixteen months, the sum of $238,775.55. This amount went to the heirs of 178 estates, and several of the estates or separate tracts were sold. by the same heirs. It is known that by far the greater part of this money was dissipated by the possessors of it in riotous living to their immediate injury and indirectly to the injury and demoralization of the white community surrounding the agency. If it is deemed advisable, all things considered, to continue the sale of inherited lands for all cash, the disposition of the proceeds should be restricted. The plan suggested in my last report of disposing of this land on time, the purchase price to be paid in installments for ten |